UEFA backs Milan claim.

Dr. Markus Merk's officiating career is in jeopardy.

UEFA have taken Milan’s side in the debate over Andriy Shevchenko’s disallowed goal against Barcelona on Wednesday. The Ukrainian’s strike was chalked off by referee Markus Merk for an alleged push on Barcelona defender Carles Puyol. However, Milan were adamant that Shevchenko had not made contact and those claims have now been vindicated by video evidence. The decision proved costly for Milan who were eliminated after losing 1-0 on aggregate, and may prove to be equally costly for the German official.

While he has been almost universally recognised as the most reliable official in the game since the retirement of Pierluigi Collina, Merk now will not be allowed to referee any game involving Italy – and possibly Ukraine – in the forthcoming World Cup. The 42-year-old German had been the favourite to be handed the Final of the tournament, but this also now appears unlikely. Despite his impeccable record, this is not the first time that Merk has found himself at the centre of controversy.

In 2001 he awarded a hotly-debated indirect free kick to Bayern Munich in the last minute of the final game of the season against Hamburg. The kick was converted and won the Reds the Bundesliga title at the expense of Schalke. The decision proved to be correct but Merk has never been given a Schalke home match since for fear of violence against him.

Merk was also the one who disallowed Esteban Cambiaso's header last year when Inter hosted AC Milan. What proved to be a clean goal, didn't look clean to Merk. This call was followed by a shower of flares thrown by Inter supporters causing their fans a 4 match ban at home games. UEFA, after reviewing the incident, promised Inter to never have Merk referee their matches again.